Counting Sheep
by KeepCounting
Summary: Percy sleepwalks. Annabeth is restless. Set in-between 'Titan's Curse' and 'Battle of the Labyrinth'. Pre-Annabeth/Percy


_So, I've had this fella kicking around in my head for almost a month now. Figured it was time to get it down on paper. You can also see it at my livejournal (link on profile). Am seriously tired right now. And I think I might possibly be falling a little in love with Logan Lerman (the guy's in the new 'Musketeer's' movie. How could I _not_ love him?_

******Characters: **Harpies, Annabeth, Percy (Pre-Annabeth/Percy), mentions of Luke and Thalia (and Poseidon, the dear boy)  
******Genre: **Well, there's a little romance. A lot humor. A little angst. A lot of... forshadowing. Did I mention the small amount of romance? I totally planned for more, where did all the romance go?  
******Warnings: **Harpies galore! And Annabeth and Percy being their usual selves.  
******Disclaimer: **Playing in Riordan's sandbox. It's very big. Filled with things that bite. But it's pretty cool, though I'm only borrowing.

_Oh and feedback is love (: _

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**Counting Sheep**

Annabeth awoke pleasantly slowly, not from anyone shaken her or a monster attacking. Not from a nightmare filled with pain and torture or from the general noise of the demi-gods at Camp Half-Blood. It was a weird relief, because ever since her kidnapping at the hands of Atlas, she hadn't had a good night's sleep and certainly no awakenings like these. She was just asleep one minute and awake the next. All in all, a very good way to greet the day.

Only problem was that it was still night.

She could hear snores and faint murmurings from her siblings, sleeping heavily in their bunks around her, but she knew that that couldn't be what had awoken her: she was too used to the noise. She tried to focus, remembering what she'd been dreaming about before waking, but nothing came to her. Clearly nothing important then.

She briefly entertained the idea that it might be nothing, but something was nagging her. Knowing she couldn't sleep with the thought lying in the back of her head, she sneaked her way out from under her covers and slipped her feet inside her sneakers. Tiptoeing around the various tools and objects sprawled across the floor; she grabbed her jacket and slipped out the door, closing it soundlessly behind her.

The night-air was cool and crisp despite the warm weather during day. Annabeth slowly started walking, the dirt crushing under her shoe, when she spotted a harpy out of the corner of her eye. Quickly ducking behind one of the cabins, she cursed herself. What was she thinking, going out in the middle of the night?

And that's when she heard it: the sound that, with a sudden clarity, she knew had awoken her in the first place. How she'd heard it through the walls and the noise of her sleeping brother's and sister's, she had no idea, but she didn't give it much thought: too many things in their world didn't make logical sense, and she'd long since stopped asking.

Unfortunately, the harpy had heard the sound too: with a triumphant shriek, it sped past her, towards one Percy Jackson, walking around in nothing but his PJ's. With his eyes closed.

Well, at least they were closed until the high-pitched sounds that the harpy was making, made them snatch open. They went wide for just a second, before he – seemingly out of nowhere – pulled out Riptide and in a reflective motion cut the harpy in half. Annabeth could almost imagine the surprised look on the unpleasant creatures face, right before it turned to dust.

Left was Percy, blinking rapidly as if he'd just woken up (which Annabeth could guess he actually had..)

The stupid idiot was _sleepwalking!_

She took a breath and stepped out of the shadows that where hiding her, ready to berate him for his stupidity, when a scream sounding scarily much like the one they'd just heard, echoed across the camp. Percy's eyes snapped up to hers and his eyes formed an O in wonder.

"Annabeth… what are you…" He stopped and looked down on himself, a blush spreading on his cheeks (Annabeth was _so_ not going to admit that he looked cute like that). "Why am I wearing PJ'S?" He blinked again, looking at Riptide. "Are we having a party?"

Annabeth rolled her eyes. "In the middle of the night? Are you ins…" The sounds of not only one, but two other harpies cut her off and her eyes widened almost as much as his.

"Hmm." Percy mumbled. "Maybe we should get out of here." He sounded like he was still half-asleep and darn confused about what was happening, so Annabeth decided to take matters into her own hands. She ran forward and grabbed his arm, dragging him along behind her. It didn't take long before he picked up speed and together they raced through the forest, heading down towards the beach where hopefully the night-time guardians and very effective cleaners wouldn't follow.

They pounded down the path until finally Annabeth could feel sand under her booths and she threw herself down on it, completely out of breath. Percy was leaning forwards, panting heavily with his hands on his knees.

"Think we lost them?" He muttered, sending her a brilliant smile. It lit up his eyes in a way not even the dark of night could diminish and made his boyish face look utterly charming.

Annabeth punched him. Hard. In the stomach.

She watched with satisfaction as he doubled over, landing sideways in the sand beside her. She folded her arms around her bent knees and watched the star-sprinkled night-sky while he recovered.

"What was that for?" His tone was angry and more than a little annoyed, as he sat up again, glaring heartily at her.

"Getting us into trouble. _Again."_

"Getting us into…? But I didn't do anything! That harpy just attacked me out of nowhere and…. Wait a second." His eyebrows scrunched together in that cute way that she always found so adorable (_damn it Chase, pull it together!) _"Why was I outside?" He clicked his tongue. "Was I sleep-walking again?"

She was tempted to hit him again, but refrained from it. He needed those last few brain-cells.

"_Again? _It's happened before?"

"Well, yeah, but I never went outside before." He countered back. "I mean, I don't think I did. I haven't been eaten yet, so…"

"You're clearly not putting much effort into the whole 'not-getting-eaten' part." She muttered. "You'd think you knew how to keep safe inside the Camp, but nooo, you just _have _to go and break the only rule that directly leads to you being swallowed by a furious, flying lady…."

"Hey, who was it that just vaporized that thing back there?"

"… you should put a lock on your door or something…"

"I can take care of myself!"

"… just so stupid…"

"… did you even notice my awesome skills of doom back there?"

"… even in your sleep you seek out danger!"

"Why where _you _outside anyway?"

That made Annabeth clamp her mouth shut and stare at him. Percy lifted an eyebrow and smiled smugly, knowing he'd got her. She frowned.

"I, uh… I couldn't sleep. I heard this noise and I went outside to check it out…"

"Right, so I'm stupid for walking outside unconscious, while _you _do it while fully awake…"

"I just wanted to check! And _I _managed to hide from that harpy, while _you_ just…"

"... elegantly swung my sword in an amazing arc and defeated the foe without dropping a sweat?"

"… and we are going to get in _so much _trouble when we get back…"

"Yeah, if we don't get eaten…"

"What kind of demi-god sleepwalks anyway? It's like putting a giant sign on yourself, screaming 'Hey! I'm not conscious, go on eat me!"

"Okay, you really _did_ go momentarily blind before; did you _not see_ me go all Rambo at that harpy?"

"Please, she made so much noise I'm surprised she didn't wake everyone in the Camp. If it'd been a monster with brains attacking you…"

"… Because there are so many of those…"

"…. You are _so _impossible; I _can't believe _you're sleepwalking…"

"You know, you're starting to sound a little worried about me."

Annabeth stopped short again (_damn you Jackson!) _and huffed indignantly at him. "Are you stupid?" She hissed, now feeling more anger than the annoyance she'd been letting out on him before. Without saying another word she turned her eyes towards the sky again, refusing to look at him.

A long silence stretched between them. She could feel Percy's eyes on her, questioning her, but she was too angry to answer right now.

He let out an exasperated sigh and moved closer to her: Annabeth could feel his hot breath on her cheek and it made warmth pool in the pit of her belly.

_Together Chase, get – it – together. _

"So, what was the noise you heard that woke you up?" He asked, sounding genuinely interested.

"You shuffling about outside." She mumbled and finally turned, only to glare at him. "Even when you're asleep you make more noise than any other person I know."

"Well, my mother has recognized me for those skills since I was a toddler." He said and Annabeth unwillingly laughed. She shook her head, but couldn't keep the smile of her face: it was true, she'd only been angry at him because she'd been worried. For a split second back there, she'd actually thought the harpy would succeed in swallowing him whole. She'd lost enough people these last few years and it would be pretty embarrassing for her friend to have survived Gods and Titans, only to be devoured by a cleaning lady.

She snickered at the thought, causing him to narrow his eyes at her.

"What is it?"

"Nothing much." She smirked. "Just thinking about what your father would say if he found out your final demise was something as _glorious _as being the dinner of a harpy." She couldn't help but giggle at his face.

"Oh, great. Happy I'm dead when he finds out, if it ever came to that."

That sobered her up quickly and Percy too, seemed to become a little more somber. Their eyes locked for a short moment as sadness was passed between them.

"Have you always been walking in your sleep?" It had been bugging her since she'd seen him outside. If he was always doing it, how come no one had noticed up until now? How come _she _hadn't known it?

As much as she hated to admit it, Annabeth despised not knowing everything, especially about the people around her. And especially with Percy, it seemed to infatuate her when she couldn't make out his thoughts.

"Uh, no. It, hmm, I think it started right after we returned from… our latest adventure."

She nodded, understanding him all too well. Ever since last year's happenings, she'd been feeling so much gloomier, as if the apocalypse was waiting just around the corner. She had this terrible feeling she was right.

"I don't sleep well either, anymore." She confessed to him. "Ever since Thalia…" She cut herself off, not knowing how to formulate her sentence. Upon seeing the understanding look in Percy's eyes, she bravely continued.

"I mean, she just comes back all of the sudden, and it was so great, but then…" She shuttered. "She fought Luke. My two best friends, fighting each other. He took me hostage. He tried to kill Thalia… and she _pushed _him _off a cliff!"_

Annabeth bit hard down on her lip, forcing herself to stop. Percy's face had become tight, his lips a straight line and his eyes shielded, guarded away from her.

"He isn't dead." He said in a monotone voice that didn't suit him at all. "He'll come back and try to kill us all again, you just wait and see." The last bit was said in a fake joyous tone and Annabeth wondered how hard she should hit him and if the damage should be permanent this time.

And the worst part was that she knew he was right.

Before she could say anything more, he stood up and brushed the sand off his pants. He extended a hand to her and she saw the normal glint return to his eyes.

"Should we get back before the harpies are finished preparing the pot with our names on it?"

Annabeth smiled back, nodding and taking his hand. As much as she'd like to talk with this about Percy, to make clear what they were going to do in the future, it was no use. He'd made his mind up about Luke, just as she was going to have to do soon.

"But please, Percy, promise to lock your door from now on?" She said, raising an eyebrow. "It's not only the harpies sleep that are being disturbed you know."

He smiled at her. "Trust me, I'll do whatever I can to make sure it doesn't happen again."

Annabeth narrowed her eyes, sending him her best 'going-to-vaporize-you-later' stare and he chuckled.

"Alright, alright. I promise I won't wander unconscious outside my door again." He stopped short for a moment. "That might be the weirdest sentence I've ever said."

"It's on the list at least.

Percy looked down. "You know, I just realized I'm not wearing any shoes. Or socks for that matter." He wriggled his toes in the warm sand and looked teasingly at her. "Maybe you could carry me?"

"_Forget it_ Seaweed Brain." Annabeth huffed and pushed herself past him, walking towards the Camp. "_You_ got yourself into this mess, so _you _have to get yourself out of it too."

She heard him curse good-naturedly behind her, before following.

"Good thing I promised never to do it again." He shot back at her. Annabeth had a moment to think about how glad she was he couldn't see her face, because the size of her smile was embarrassing. Then she started running, clearly hearing him follow in step behind her, bare-footed or not.

_I promised. _


End file.
